Daily Gospel for Friday, 5 June 2015

Daily Gospel for Friday, 5 June 2015
"Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."[John 6:68]
Friday of the Ninth week in Ordinary Time
Saints of the day:

ST. BONIFACE
Bishop, Martyr
(+ 754)

St. Boniface was born at Crediton in Devonshire, England, about the year 673. Some missionaries staying at his father's house spoke to him of heavenly things, and inspired him with a wish to devote himself, as they did, to God.

He entered the monastery of Exminster, and was there trained for his apostolic work. His first attempt to convert the pagans in Holland having failed, he went to Rome to obtain the Pope's blessing on his mission, and returned with authority to preach to the German tribes. It was a slow and dangerous task; his own life was in constant peril, while his flock was often reduced to abject poverty by the wandering robber bands. Yet his courage never flagged. He began with Bavaria and Thuringia, next visited Friesland, and then passed on to Hesse and Saxony, everywhere destroying the idol temples and raising churches on their site. He endeavored, as far as possible, to make every object of idolatry contribute in some way to the glory of God; on one occasion, having cut down on immense oak which was consecrated to Jupiter, he used the tree in building a church, which he dedicated to the Prince of the Apostles.

He was then recalled to Rome, consecrated Bishop by the Pope, and returned to extend and organize the rising German Church. With diligent care he reformed abuses among the existing clergy, and established religious houses throughout the land.

At length, feeling his infirmities increase, and fearful of losing his martyr's crown, Boniface appointed a successor to his monastery, and set out to convert a fresh pagan tribe. While St. Boniface was waiting to administer the sacrament of Confirmation to some newly-baptized Christians, a troop of pagans arrived armed with swords and spears. His attendants would have opposed them, but the Saint said to his followers: "My children cease your resistance; the long-expected day is come at last. Scripture forbids us to resist evil. Let us put our hope in God, He will save our souls." Scarcely had he ceased speaking, when the barbarians fell upon him and slew him with all his attendants, to the number of fifty-two.

Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]
Friday of the Ninth week in Ordinary Time
Book of Tobit 11:5 Now Anna was sitting down and watching the road that her son had taken. 6 When she saw him coming, she said to her husband,[a] “Look! Your son is coming, along with the man who went with him!”
7 Before Tobias reached his father, Raphael said to him, “I know that his eyes will be opened. 8 Smear the fish’s gall on his eyes. The medicine will make the white spots shrink and peel away from his eyes. Then your father will regain his sight and see the light.”
9 Anna jumped up and embraced her son, saying, “I see you, my child! Now I’m ready to die.” She began to cry.
Tobit’s blindness is healed
10 Then Tobit rose and stumbled through the courtyard door. Tobias went to him 11 with the fish’s gallbladder in his hand. Tobias sprinkled[b] some of the gall into his father’s eyes, saying, “Don’t be afraid, Father!”[c] He poured out the medicine on him and applied it. 12-13 Then with both his hands, he peeled off the white spots from the corners of Tobit’s eyes.
Tobit embraced him and began to cry, saying, “I see you, my child and light of my eyes! 14 May God be praised, and may his great name be praised, and may all his holy angels be praised forever! May his great name be upon us, and may all the angels be praised for all eternity! 15 Though he has disciplined me, look now! I see my son Tobias!”
Then Tobit came in rejoicing and praising God at the top of his lungs.[d] Tobias told his father that his trip had been successful: that he had brought the money; that he had taken Sarah, Raguel’s daughter, as his wife; and that, indeed, she was arriving and was near the gate of Nineveh.
16 Then Tobit went out to meet Tobias’ bride at the gate of Nineveh, rejoicing and praising God. The people of Nineveh were amazed when they saw him walking and moving along with all his strength without anyone leading him by the hand. 17 Tobit declared to them that God had shown mercy on him and opened his eyes. Then Tobit approached Sarah, his son Tobias’ wife, and he blessed her, saying, “May you come in good health, my daughter; may your God who has brought you to us be praised. May your father be blessed, may my son Tobias be blessed, and may you be blessed, my daughter. Come into your house in good health, in blessing and joy. Come in, my daughter!”
On this day joy came to all the Jews who were in Nineveh.[Footnotes:
Tobit 11:6 Vulg; LXX2 his father
Tobit 11:11 DSS Heb; LXX2 blew
Tobit 11:11 DSS Heb; LXX2 Take courage, Father!
Tobit 11:15 Gk with his whole mouth]
Psalm 146:1 Halleluyah!
Praise Adonai, my soul!
2 I will praise Adonai as long as I live.
I will sing praise to my God all my life.
6 He made heaven and earth,
the sea and everything in them;
he keeps faith forever.
7 He secures justice for the oppressed,
he gives food to the hungry.
Adonai sets prisoners free,
8 Adonai opens the eyes of the blind,
Adonai lifts up those who are bent over.
Adonai loves the righteous.
9 Adonai watches over strangers,
he sustains the fatherless and widows;
but the way of the wicked he twists.
10 Adonai will reign forever,
your God, Tziyon, through all generations.
Halleluyah!
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to Saint Mark 12:35 As Yeshua was teaching in the Temple, he asked, “How is it that the Torah-teachers say the Messiah is the Son of David? 36 David himself, inspired by the Ruach HaKodesh, said,
‘Adonai said to my Lord,
“Sit here at my right hand
until I put your enemies under your feet.” ’[a]
37 David himself calls him ‘Lord’; so how is he his son?”
The great crowd listened eagerly to him.[Footnotes:
Mark 12:36 Psalm 110:1]
Friday of the Ninth week in Ordinary Time
Commentary of the day:
Catechism of the Catholic Church 
§ 446-451
“David himself addresses him as ‘Lord’” In the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the ineffable Hebrew name YHWH, by which God revealed himself to Moses (cf. Ex 3:14), is rendered as Kyrios, “Lord”. From then on, “Lord” becomes the more usual name by which to indicate the divinity of Israel’s God. The New Testament uses this full sense of the title “Lord” both for the Father and – what is new – for Jesus, who is thereby recognized as God Himself (cf. 1 Cor 2:8). 

Jesus ascribes this title to himself in a veiled way when he disputes with the Pharisees about the meaning of Psalm 110, but also in an explicit way when he addresses his apostles (cf. Mt 22:41-46; Acts 2:34-36; Heb 1:13; Jn 13:13). Throughout his public life, he demonstrated his divine sovereignty by works of power over nature, illnesses, demons, death, and sin. 
Very often in the Gospels people address Jesus as “Lord”. This title testifies to the respect and trust of those who approach him for help and healing (cf. Mt 8:2; 14:30; 15:22…). At the prompting of the Holy Spirit, “Lord” expresses the recognition of the divine mystery of Jesus (cf. Lk 1:43; 2:11). In the encounter with the risen Jesus, this title becomes adoration: “My Lord and my God!” It thus takes on a connotation of love and affection that remains proper to the Christian tradition: “It is the Lord!” (Jn 20:28; Jn 21:7) 
By attributing to Jesus the divine title “Lord,” the first confessions of the Church’s faith affirm from the beginning that the power, honor, and glory due to God the Father are due also to Jesus, because “he was in the form of God,” (cf. Acts 2:34-36; Rom 9:5; Tit 2:13; Rev 5:13; Phil 2:6) and the Father manifested the sovereignty of Jesus by raising him from the dead and exalting him into his glory (cf. Rom 10:9; 1 Cor 12:3; Phil 2:9-11). 
From the beginning of Christian history, the assertion of Christ’s lordship over the world and over history has implicitly recognized that man should not submit his personal freedom in an absolute manner to any earthly power, but only to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Caesar is not “the Lord” (cf. Rev 11:15; Mk 12:17; Acts 5:29). “The Church …believes that the key, the center, and the purpose of the whole of man’s history is to be found in its Lord and Master.” 
Christian prayer is characterized by the title “Lord,” whether in the invitation to prayer (“The Lord be with you.”), its conclusion (“through Christ our Lord”), or the exclamation full of trust and hope: Maran atha (“Our Lord, come!”), or Marana tha (“Come, Lord!”) – “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” (1 Cor 16:22; Rev 22:20)

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